College News

Four Catawba College Mathematics Professors Author Textbook

Four faculty members in the Catawba College Mathematics Department have collaborated to author a textbook being used in two courses this semester. "Principles of Mathematics," a general education text which requires only high school algebra as a prerequisite, is being used in two sections of Mathematics 1601.

Faculty members who authored "Principles of Mathematics" include Dr. Paul L. Baker, Dr. Jason W. Hunt, Dr. Sharon L. Sullivan, and Dr. John T. Zerger, who serves as chair of Catawba's mathematics department. The preface of the textbook indicates that the book "is the culmination of years of dissatisfaction with available texts for the course Principles of Mathematics. These faculty members, "since they saw no appropriate text on the horizon, they decided to write one."

The textbook is dedicated by the aforementioned faculty members to their friend and colleague in the Catawba mathematics department, Professor Joyce Caddell.

Dr. Baker, professor of mathematics, earned his bachelor of science and his master of art’s degrees from the University North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. Dr. Hunt, associate professor of mathematics, earned his bachelor of science degree from Wofford College, his master of arts degree from Wake Forest University, and his Ph.D. from Emory University. Dr. Sullivan, associate professor of mathematics, hold her bachelor of science degree from Trinity College, her master of science degree from the University of Vermont and her Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. Dr. John Zerger earned his bachelor of arts degree from Bluffton College and holds his master of science degree and his Ph.D. from Kansas State University.